In this unit preservice teachers orientate themselves to the teaching profession. Preservice teachers will develop in-depth knowledge of schooling and teaching within the context of professional guidelines and ethical codes of conduct. Preservice teachers explore the philosophy and possibilities of education including student learning. In addition, they investigate effective classroom management and innovative curriculum design and lesson planning.

This unit of study focuses on the development of language and literacy in the Lower Primary context. Preservice teachers will develop a strong disciplinary understanding of how to teach across the three strands of language, literacy and literature as articulated in the Primary English Curriculum. The unit will develop pedagogical content knowledge in the teaching of reading, writing, speaking and listening. The unit also requires students to reflect on their personal literacy skills and knowledge and make connections to professional practice. Students will be introduced to the theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of how to teach literacy and language in a Lower Primary classroom. Practical approaches to the teaching of grammar, phonics, comprehension and literature will involve the study of English language conventions and structures.

Preservice teachers are introduced to effective mathematical teaching approaches, models and strategies used by primary teachers to enhance student learning of mathematical content, concepts and reasoning. The mathematical content focus in this unit relates to Measurement and Geometry, Statistics and Probability. Preservice teachers reflect on their mathematics and numeracy knowledge to develop personal levels of proficiency when planning, structuring and implementing learning programs that correspond with students' diverse learning needs and abilities and curriculum content strands. The unit also provides a foundation to a range of pedagogical approaches to teaching mathematics. This will include taking into account the needs of different learners from a range of cultural backgrounds. Students will have the opportunity to engage in workshops, discussions and activities and receive feedback through informal and formal assessments.

The learning in this unit focuses on enhancement of students’ scientific literacy, as well as developing skills and knowledge required for teaching the primary science curriculum confidently. Throughout this unit students are provided with many opportunities to develop their understanding regarding core scientific ideas, the practices that scientists use in creating knowledge about the world, and appreciation of the role of science in everyday life. They develop pedagogical knowledge of primary science education theories, and teaching and learning models. Students work collaboratively to develop their capacities, knowledge and skills in designing science education units, and learning plans that enable primary students to engage with science in the world around them.

Preservice teachers will study and experience the philosophy, theories and possibilities of multi-modal teaching and learning. The unit covers classroom arrangements, classroom unit and lesson planning and implementation, and how curriculum, pedagogy and assessment strategies are enacted and reported to support students' needs. Additional aspects will include legal and safety concerns of teaching and student welfare issues. Continuing application of the Praxis Inquiry Protocol will support investigations and theorising of curriculum, teaching, learning, social justice and research. Questions involving key features of classroom situations will be explored such as how new learning is supported, how are new student understandings formed and how do we know what has been learned? Multi-modal learning will be explored to develop an understanding of different teaching practices support students' learning and understanding in key areas such as literacy and numeracy. This will involve the application of information technology into teaching that includes such approaches as, inquiry learning, personal learning plans, experiential learning and cooperative learning.

This unit provides preservice teachers with pedagogical content knowledge and health literacy skills to facilitate primary school students’ development of knowledge, skills and behaviours necessary for the pursuit of lifelong physical activity, and strengthening of their physical, mental and social health and wellbeing. Preservice teachers will investigate trends and approaches to health and physical education and personal and social learning. They will become aware of the significance of a ‘strengths-based approach’ in health and physical education theory and practice. The unit content will focus on understanding the current curriculum for Health and Physical Education and Personal and Social Capability in Victorian Primary Schools. This unit will focus on strengths-based pedagogy and assessment, how these is enacted in schools and classrooms, and whole-school approaches for promoting health and wellbeing.

Preservice teachers develop an understanding of curriculum and pedagogy required for the teaching of the primary humanities curriculum. They investigate, analyse and evaluate a range of approaches to the teaching of humanities to enable them to design and implement teaching and learning strategies that promote knowledge and skills required by students for life-long learning, social development and active and informed citizenship. Preservice teachers develop their teaching practice in the areas of History, Geography, Economics and Business, Civics and Citizenship together with cross curriculum priorities relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait cultures and engagement with the Asian-Pacific region. They develop knowledge, capacities and multiliteracy skills appropriate to twenty-first century learning and teaching contexts.

Preservice teachers are introduced to theoretical, philosophical, pragmatic and practical perspectives related to contemporary arts and design education for primary school students. These perspectives include an introduction to arts and design curriculum, planning and pedagogies that promote quality learning and teaching of the arts and design, with a focus on the areas of music, drama, dance, visual arts and media arts. Preservice teachers also consider how these arts and design areas can productively intersect with other subject areas for effective teaching and learning.

This unit connects with the unit learning outcomes of articulating and embodying the ideologies, epistemologies and cosmologies of socially-just education through critically reflective and reflexive teaching, Indigenous-led learning, equity and access, as well as critically applying knowledge of educational issues to improve classroom practice and strengthen students' relations with their local community. The overall goal of this unit is to embed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, places, and positionalities in compulsory school curriculum content and pedagogy through the acknowledgement of the past and present and future aspirations held by Indigenous peoples, particularly the First Nations people of Australia, and their communities of belonging, in order to value the wealth and diversity of our shared future.

This unit aims to develop critical understandings of curriculum design and content; ongoing connections of people to place and space; theoretical constructs including post-colonialism and decolonisation; engagement beyond dominant culture discourses, descriptions and solutions; key issues of self-determination and sovereignty; culturally appropriate pedagogical and curriculum materials; privileging of Indigenous and post-colonial ways of knowing, being and doing education in the 21st Century; challenges in addressing systemic change required to meet the needs of Indigenous students and Indigenous educators; strategies for inclusion that value Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in school; and understanding how to challenge the colonial standpoints that hinder equitable outcomes for Indigenous students.

In this unit of study preservice teachers will explore multidimensional aspects of literacy education and the acquisition of literacy skills by critically investigating the organisation of print literary and digital texts. The unit aims to develop a pedagogical understanding of how to teach: compositional techniques, forms of print based and digital representation for receiving and communicating meaning to different audiences and for differing purposes and contexts. Preservice teachers will be guided to build their repertoire of knowledge of literacy pedagogies and concepts to enable them to integrate theory and practice when planning to teach literacy across the curriculum.

Through the unit preservice teachers will investigate models for developing and responding to students speaking, listening, reading, viewing, writing and creating. Preservice teachers will also investigate curriculum and assessment rationale to include informal, formal diagnostic, formative, and summative approaches to assessing student learning from Primary years three to six. Preservice teachers will be introduced to theoretical models of language and literacy to appraise literacy/language learning in the middle years of schooling when responding to diverse learners’ needs and abilities.

Preservice teachers build their technological and content pedagogical knowledge and skills in the strand of Number of Algebra in the Victorian Curriculum. Preservice teachers advance their teaching knowledge and practice by engaging in the latest advances in mathematics educational and technological research and practice. They critically evaluate the use of AI in primary mathematics teaching and learning activities, and in student learning management systems including Compass and SEQTA. Preservice teachers review national and international mathematics curricula, teaching practice and assessment. They analyse and respond to various types of student data used in primary mathematics settings and explore methods of promoting student agency and authentic learning experiences. Preservice teachers design an innovative, differentiated and enriched unit of work encompassing assessment and use of connected concepts and problem solving strategies to deepen student learning of mathematics. Preservice teachers explore the proficiency strands.

Research is an integral element of education. The intention of this unit is to provide students, both practitioner researchers and those who wish to advance in their trajectory as researchers with a conceptual and critical overview of educational research methodologies and methods. Students will familiarise themselves with methodological literature, explore current literature related to their chosen area of inquiry and experience developing a research proposal. Students are advised to complete this unit preceding the minor thesis, capstone or curriculum specialisation.

This final unit in the course enables postgraduate students to encapsulate their work in the Master of Teaching (EMPE) course. The unit enables students to work with lecturers, colleagues, principals, other school leaders and teachers in meeting National Standards in order to comply with registration requirements. Students will undertake a critical overview of teachers' professional roles and responsibilities and will develop an awareness of the organisational and legal conditions of teachers' work, informing relationships with and teaching students, planning and managing curriculum and pedagogy, working with colleagues in leadership teams, and engaging with the school and wider community.

Students will engage in professional experience in Primary school, where they will refine their ability to organise content into effective teaching sequences, set achievable goals for students and demonstrate their ability to effectively use a range of resources. Students will also demonstrate the capacity to gather and interpret student assessment data to evaluate student learning and modify teaching practice.

This unit connects with the course intentions of guaranteeing that graduate teachers have deep and connected understandings of the content they are teaching and the pedagogical approaches for implementing the curriculum, in addition to engaging professionally with colleagues, parents, carers and the community. This unit also connects to the course learning outcomes of displaying competence and sophistication in a range of oral and written communication techniques, including in the use of Information and Communication Technologies, to engage and connect with students, their parents/carers and the wider community, as well as recognition of the importance of fostering students' creative skills, and problem solving strategies to prepare them to confront and pro-actively solve 21st Century challenges. Students will apply their critical understandings of the changing nature of society to the development of educational policies, curriculum, pedagogy and assessment processes relevant to school students' needs.

Students will develop skills needed to seek employment, including preparing job applications, responding to selection criteria, interview techniques and awareness of professional networks and professional learning opportunities.

*This unit is double-weighted. Unit fees will be adjusted accordingly.

Preservice teachers will deepen their professional knowledge, skills and abilities to teach in an approved primary school specialisation. In the selected specialisation area preservice teachers undertake in-depth studies and research into primary curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. They research aspects of twenty first century teaching and learning in rapidly changing global, social, economic, environmental and technological contexts that inform content, pedagogy, curriculum and assessment of students' learning, skills, capacities and cultural understandings. Preservice teachers investigate the research-teaching-practice triangle in learning about the importance of research for teacher preparation and professional practice aimed at improving school students' learning. Students will be involved in a 10 day teaching experience during which time they will develop and apply ethically appropriate methods for collecting data through classroom observations, teacher feedback, assessment of students' learning and knowledge. They will collate and analyse data and critically evaluate their own teaching and further build their professional competence, creativity, critical analysis, and problem solving ability.

*This unit is double-weighted. Unit fees will be adjusted accordingly.